This invention relates to braces for mine stoppings, a two-tier stopping and to a method of installing a two-tier mine stopping.
Mine stoppings are widely used in mine passageways to stop off the flow of air therethrough. A conventional metal stopping shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,642 comprises a plurality of elongate extensible panels 7 extending vertically from the floor to the roof of the mine passageway and positioned in side-by-side relation across the passageway. (See FIG. 1 of the patent.)
Some mine passages can be quite large, e.g., 20 feet wide and 10 feet high and even as large as 60 feet wide and 35 feet high. Further, the pressure differential across a stopping can be very high. The high pressure differential and/or the large size of the mine passages that a stopping closes can subject the stopping to large forces which cause the stopping to bend or deflect.
Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of an improved mine stopping capable of use in large mine passageways; the provision of such a stopping that will be effective in at least partially stopping the flow of air through the mine passageway; and the provision of such a stopping that is easy to install and maintain without excessive attention.
Further among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of a method of installing a mine stopping adapted for large mine passageways; and the provision of such a method that is easy to perform and is cost effective.
In one aspect, the invention is directed to a mine stopping installed in a mine passageway having a floor, a roof and opposing walls. The stopping is installed to at least partially close the mine passageway and comprises a lower tier of elongate panels extending generally vertically in side-by-side relation from the floor of the passageway. Each panel of the lower tier has a lower end adjacent the floor of the passageway and an upper end spaced from the roof of the passageway. An upper tier of elongate panels extends generally vertically in side-by-side relation from the lower tier of panels to the roof of the passageway. An upper end of each upper tier panel is adjacent the roof of the passageway and a lower end of each upper tier panel abuts the upper end of respective lower tier panels. An elongate brace is connected to at least one of the lower and upper tiers for reinforcing the stopping against deflection and for inhibiting relative lateral movement between the lower tier panels and the upper tier panels.
In another aspect, a mine stopping of the invention is installed in a mine passageway to at least partially close the mine passageway and comprises a plurality of elongate panels extending generally vertically in side-by-side relation from adjacent the floor to adjacent the roof of the passageway. Each panel includes an elongate lower panel member having a lower end adjacent the floor of the passageway, an elongate upper panel member having an upper end adjacent the roof of the passageway, and an intermediate panel member having a lower end in engagement with the lower member and an upper end in engagement with the upper member. The stopping further comprises an elongate member for connecting the intermediate panel member of each panel with the lower and upper panel members such that the panel is yieldable longitudinally in the event of convergence of the roof and the floor.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to a method of installing a mine stopping between opposing side walls of a mine passageway. The method comprises the steps of securing opposite ends of an elongate brace to respective side walls so that the beam extends between the side walls of the mine passageway and positioning a lower tier of elongate panels so that a lower end of each lower tier panel is adjacent the floor and an upper end of each lower tier panel is adjacent the brace. An upper tier of elongate panels is positioned above the lower tier so that a lower end of each upper tier panel is adjacent the brace and an upper end of each upper tier panel is adjacent the roof of the passageway. Respective upper ends of the lower tier panels are connected to the brace and respective lower ends of the upper tier panels are connected to the brace for reinforcing the stopping against deflection and for inhibiting lateral movement of the upper tier panels relative to the lower tier panels.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.